Buena Vista Worldwide Home Ent. Launched

Details of the previously announced restructuring of the Buena Vista Home Ent. division were revealed, as BVHE and Buena Vista Home Ent. International are integrated into one global division: Buena Vista Worldwide Home Ent. (BVWHE).

Explained BVWHE president Bob Chapek: "With the rapidly changing landscape facing the home entertainment industry, we need to embrace not only new technologies but the global nature of our business as well. This new organization addresses the need for global strategies and allows for market customization."

Chapek will lead BVWHE along with Pat Fitzgerald, evp of worldwide sales, distribution and trade marketing; Gordon Ho, evp of worldwide marketing, creative content and business development; Richard Ramsey, vp of worldwide human resources and communications; and Kristin McQueen, svp of worldwide business and legal affairs.

In addition to this core worldwide team, Bill Segil has taken on the newly created position of svp, worldwide operations. In this capacity he will broaden his operational scope to include all worldwide supply chain strategies under Fitzgerald. Andy Siditsky has been named svp of worldwide creative services & DVD production and will continue to lead the development of worldwide creative advertising and DVD production under Ho. Siditsky will also add new programming to his responsibilities. Eric Maehara will serve as vp of worldwide communications and will manage worldwide publicity along with trade and home entertainment communications for the new division under Ramsey.

Commenting on the new global team, Chapek added, "Pat Fitzgerald is one of the most aggressive and savvy executives in this industry. I am delighted that he will bring his considerable talents to overseeing our worldwide sales and operational teams."

Chapek continued, "Gordon Ho has been an industry leader and major force in our key marketing and product strategies for BVHE titles. His creative and strategic contributions will be critical to our continued success in the global marketplace. Richard Ramsey has helped build the best team in the industry and will play a key role in building our global team. Kristin McQueen possesses a tremendous ability to quickly assess legal situations and gauge their commercial implications. We are confident that she will continue to successfully lead BVHE business and legal affairs in the global marketplace."

In addition to the worldwide team, the new division will incorporate regional teams to manage day-to-day operations in the markets. The three regions include North America, Asia Pacific/Latin America, and Europe/Middle East and Africa. Lori MacPherson has been named the new gm for North America; Daniel Solnicki has taken on the role of gm for Asia Pacific and Latin America; and Julie Sneddon continues in her position as gm for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Commenting on the regional organization, Chapek stated, "Lori MacPherson's tremendous managerial and leadership skills will continue to drive the North American business. Her successful track record as a marketing leader will continue to innovate with consumer and trade programs and keep us at the forefront of the market."

Chapek added, "Strong regional marketing, sales and distribution executives are key to the successful integration of BVHE product into the marketplace. Daniel Solnicki and Julie Sneddon have demonstrated their formidable talents and abilities to integrate our marketing and sales strategies into diverse cultures. We are delighted that they will help lead our international organizations."

Fitzgerald has led strategic sales efforts behind such record breaking titles as THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL and THE INCREDIBLES. Fitzgerald also leads the division's efforts toward developing new technology in support of new models of digital content distribution, including that of next-generation formats. Pat joined BVHE in 2001 as svp of sales, distribution and trade marketing.

Ho has led a number of key marketing campaigns including SNOW WHITE; BEAUTY AND THE BEAST; and THE LION KING, the number one selling video of all time. Ho was pivotal in the conception and introduction of Disney's highly successful Disney Video Premiere line and also led the marketing efforts in the launch of Disney's acclaimed Platinum line of DVDs. Since joining BVHE in 1992, Ho has held various roles of increasing responsibility, including director of marketing for Buena Vista Games, vp of brand marketing, svp of marketing and evp of marketing and business development.

A 26-year Disney veteran, Ramsey first joined the company within the Operations division at Disneyland and has since gained a wealth of knowledge through a variety of human resources positions within the Parks and Resorts, Feature Animation and Home Entertainment businesses.

McQueen joined BVHE in 1994 as a staff attorney and worked her way up the ranks to her current position as svp of Business and Legal Affairs.

In her previous role as svp of brand marketing and product management, MacPherson lead the brand marketing and product management department and was responsible for the strategic marketing of all new release and catalog products. She was instrumental in the expansion of Disney's Video Premiere brand and has led marketing efforts behind such notable releases as FINDING NEMO, the number one selling DVD of all time; PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL as well as PEARL HARBOR. She also led BVHE's entry into the TV on DVD category, launching such successful TV on DVD series as ALIAS and most recently, LOST and DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES. MacPherson joined BVHE in 1991 as a brand assistant and through a series of promotions has held the positions of director of brand marketing and vp of brand marketing.

Solnicki joined The Walt Disney Studios in 1997 and has since held positions at Buena Vista International (BVI), the studios' Planning and Finance Group, as well as the studios' Business Development Group and Buena Vista Home Ent. (BVHE). In his prior position as head of sales & distribution for BVHE-International, he was instrumental in setting the strategic direction for the division, developing global retailer strategies, optimizing the way we bring product to market and ultimately driving growth and profitability to new levels around the world.

Since 1998, Sneddon has held the position of md of BVHE UK and Ireland and was central to driving the company's DVD expansion strategy in the U.K. In 2004, BVHE UK & Ireland was recognized as the number one retail and rental distributor of home entertainment product in the U.K. Previous roles with BVHE UK & Ireland include commercial director, Trading director, Category controller and head of customer marketing.